Red Flag Areas

[Generic]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

We had planned for 10 but could only do 7 so kudos to all of you who have hung in there so long. You deserve a big pat on the back.
.

8 in this location, over 20 in all.

 

[Morticia]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?
.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?

I think you may miss out on one of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis - the breakfast part. That adds another 4 hours to the workday, everyday. We can't be off doing something else behind the scenes while guests eat.
There is also the stress of the constant whinges of people who have to have exactly what they eat everyday. The fads. The allergies.
You've got the rest of it. But I'd hazard a guess, if you asked retiring innkeepers what's the one thing they are not going to miss, it's going to be making breakfast for whiny ingrates.

 

[Hillbilly]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

We had planned for 10 but could only do 7 so kudos to all of you who have hung in there so long. You deserve a big pat on the back.
.

We had planned for 10 but could only do 7 so kudos to all of you who have hung in there so long. You deserve a big pat on the back.

12 and counting...
I think it's like being married - once you get past the '7 year itch' you can roll along having seen pretty much everything.
Then again, I've got an entire apartment to myself. We need that distance from the guests and each other. If he had your garage space I'd never see him!
.

I think having your own space away from the guests is a must. Especially if you are raising a family. Having young kids and running a B and B is hard enough. But telling your kids they can't be kids and run around and play and have friends over is not fair to them. Finding the right balance is key. If I had one recommendation for newbies it would be this. "If you plan on raisining a family while having a B and B. Start your planing with what is a must for you before guests."
example: Your own space where your kids can be kids and not bother other guests. A lot of guests are getting away from their kids and want peace and quiet.
The most important one for us is a family vacation every year. Give your kids your undivided attention for at least a week. You must leave town. If you don't, you will find yourselves working part time because you feel you need to. You have to leave! It's also great for you as well!
Those are just a few recommendations!

 

[ChefDRG]

My Inn is for sale in Camden. I know all the Inns that are for sale and I am comfortable saying that I think it is is just retirement that is making people sell. We have all been in this for a long time. The market finally looks like it is coming back and it is a good time to test the waters. Camden is a great town, it is not only a good destination town to buy in, it is a good year round community. The hiking, kayaking, opera house and harbor are fun assets to living here. I enjoy living near the center of town. I can walk everywhere. I am selling because my kids are bigger now and I would like to travel with them before they are off to college. Airbnb is a disruptor, but it is also an opportunity for Camden. There are few hotels and having such a strong third party agent sell your rooms is helpful. There are alot of rentals, but the zoning only allows 6 night minimums. Eventually the enforcement will catch up with them..

Thank you--that's reassuring!

 

[ChefDRG]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

We had planned for 10 but could only do 7 so kudos to all of you who have hung in there so long. You deserve a big pat on the back.
.

We had planned for 10 but could only do 7 so kudos to all of you who have hung in there so long. You deserve a big pat on the back.

12 and counting...
I think it's like being married - once you get past the '7 year itch' you can roll along having seen pretty much everything.
Then again, I've got an entire apartment to myself. We need that distance from the guests and each other. If he had your garage space I'd never see him!
.

I think having your own space away from the guests is a must. Especially if you are raising a family. Having young kids and running a B and B is hard enough. But telling your kids they can't be kids and run around and play and have friends over is not fair to them. Finding the right balance is key. If I had one recommendation for newbies it would be this. "If you plan on raisining a family while having a B and B. Start your planing with what is a must for you before guests."
example: Your own space where your kids can be kids and not bother other guests. A lot of guests are getting away from their kids and want peace and quiet.
The most important one for us is a family vacation every year. Give your kids your undivided attention for at least a week. You must leave town. If you don't, you will find yourselves working part time because you feel you need to. You have to leave! It's also great for you as well!
Those are just a few recommendations!
.

Great advice--thanks! I agree with having space away from guests. The owner's quarters are the first thing I've been checking out. And the kitchen, of course
Noted on the vacation--no arm twisting there!

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

Here's one to consider. LOTS of potential here!
http://tours.tourfactory.com/tours/tour.asp?t=1156239

 

[ChefDRG]

Here's one to consider. LOTS of potential here!
http://tours.tourfactory.com/tours/tour.asp?t=1156239.

Thank you, Lynn!

 

[gillumhouse]

I love the windjammers - they WERE in Rockland when I did my first cruise but had moved to Camden by the time I took my 4th cruise.

 

[River Edge Mansion]

By baseball town do you mean Cooperstown, NY? Are you looking in New York State?

 

[ChefDRG]

By baseball town do you mean Cooperstown, NY? Are you looking in New York State?.

Yes, an inn there has caught my eye.

 

[Lee2014]

By baseball town do you mean Cooperstown, NY? Are you looking in New York State?.

Yes, an inn there has caught my eye.
.

Me too. The green, red, and yellow one. But don't worry, I'm not buying. I just saw it in my searching and remember it being in that town.

 

[ChefDRG]

By baseball town do you mean Cooperstown, NY? Are you looking in New York State?.

Yes, an inn there has caught my eye.
.

Me too. The green, red, and yellow one. But don't worry, I'm not buying. I just saw it in my searching and remember it being in that town.
.

Yes, that's the one. It checks a lot of boxes. Do you know the area? Any insight?

 

[Lee2014]

By baseball town do you mean Cooperstown, NY? Are you looking in New York State?.

Yes, an inn there has caught my eye.
.

Me too. The green, red, and yellow one. But don't worry, I'm not buying. I just saw it in my searching and remember it being in that town.
.

Yes, that's the one. It checks a lot of boxes. Do you know the area? Any insight?
.

No, I don't know the area or the place. I know its been on the market at least a year, probably longer. It stands out in a good way and has great stuff going for it. I like that the chairs match each others in the rooms. (My pet preeve.) Since I remember it from awhile back, other people will too. I want a place that stands out and make people take a second look while they walk by, see a photo, or are online. You want the guests to remember it so they can find you again. Also you know, first impression counts.

 

[JimBoone]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?
.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?

I think you may miss out on one of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis - the breakfast part. That adds another 4 hours to the workday, everyday. We can't be off doing something else behind the scenes while guests eat.
There is also the stress of the constant whinges of people who have to have exactly what they eat everyday. The fads. The allergies.
You've got the rest of it. But I'd hazard a guess, if you asked retiring innkeepers what's the one thing they are not going to miss, it's going to be making breakfast for whiny ingrates.
.

Perhaps we are plain and simple enough that we get everyday folks, most aren't whiny and that helps. In most areas I try to cultivate guests that like what I like as it makes it easier to please them. What would a simple breakfast do to business? I'm not educated on the breakfast side, my one bed and breakfast visit served family style at a common table, nice variety of food and plenty to eat, but no special orders that I was aware of, counting us 29 guests at the table.

 

[Morticia]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?
.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?

I think you may miss out on one of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis - the breakfast part. That adds another 4 hours to the workday, everyday. We can't be off doing something else behind the scenes while guests eat.
There is also the stress of the constant whinges of people who have to have exactly what they eat everyday. The fads. The allergies.
You've got the rest of it. But I'd hazard a guess, if you asked retiring innkeepers what's the one thing they are not going to miss, it's going to be making breakfast for whiny ingrates.
.

Perhaps we are plain and simple enough that we get everyday folks, most aren't whiny and that helps. In most areas I try to cultivate guests that like what I like as it makes it easier to please them. What would a simple breakfast do to business? I'm not educated on the breakfast side, my one bed and breakfast visit served family style at a common table, nice variety of food and plenty to eat, but no special orders that I was aware of, counting us 29 guests at the table.
.

Our first couple of years we weren't getting 'folks like us'. We get more of them now, tho. But, there are still those times when we get guests who just stayed at a posh b&b and assume we're all the same so they don't like their stay, or that we didn't have a menu, or we didn't have bagels.
It's rare that we get complaints about the first b. It's always the second.

 

[JimBoone]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?
.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?

I think you may miss out on one of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis - the breakfast part. That adds another 4 hours to the workday, everyday. We can't be off doing something else behind the scenes while guests eat.
There is also the stress of the constant whinges of people who have to have exactly what they eat everyday. The fads. The allergies.
You've got the rest of it. But I'd hazard a guess, if you asked retiring innkeepers what's the one thing they are not going to miss, it's going to be making breakfast for whiny ingrates.
.

Perhaps we are plain and simple enough that we get everyday folks, most aren't whiny and that helps. In most areas I try to cultivate guests that like what I like as it makes it easier to please them. What would a simple breakfast do to business? I'm not educated on the breakfast side, my one bed and breakfast visit served family style at a common table, nice variety of food and plenty to eat, but no special orders that I was aware of, counting us 29 guests at the table.
.

Our first couple of years we weren't getting 'folks like us'. We get more of them now, tho. But, there are still those times when we get guests who just stayed at a posh b&b and assume we're all the same so they don't like their stay, or that we didn't have a menu, or we didn't have bagels.
It's rare that we get complaints about the first b. It's always the second.
.

Going back to Hillbilly's post/comment that the life of an innkeeper was around 6 years before we become burnt out with the business and wanted to move on to something else, run away from the business and the guests.
Guess what I'm trying to ask, is it possible to change the way we do things so that we as innkeepers don't get tired and burnt out running the business and still manage financially. Are we trying so hard to be the best that we grow to hate the business? Would a change to breakfast or some other area improve the innkeepers personal life without killing the business on a financial level?
So many on the forum seem to be counting the days until they can retire and do something else, count me as the odd one, I wanted to retire to be an innkeeper. I probably do everything wrong, but after 25 years we still have fun, for us this is retirement.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?
.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?

I think you may miss out on one of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis - the breakfast part. That adds another 4 hours to the workday, everyday. We can't be off doing something else behind the scenes while guests eat.
There is also the stress of the constant whinges of people who have to have exactly what they eat everyday. The fads. The allergies.
You've got the rest of it. But I'd hazard a guess, if you asked retiring innkeepers what's the one thing they are not going to miss, it's going to be making breakfast for whiny ingrates.
.

Perhaps we are plain and simple enough that we get everyday folks, most aren't whiny and that helps. In most areas I try to cultivate guests that like what I like as it makes it easier to please them. What would a simple breakfast do to business? I'm not educated on the breakfast side, my one bed and breakfast visit served family style at a common table, nice variety of food and plenty to eat, but no special orders that I was aware of, counting us 29 guests at the table.
.

Our first couple of years we weren't getting 'folks like us'. We get more of them now, tho. But, there are still those times when we get guests who just stayed at a posh b&b and assume we're all the same so they don't like their stay, or that we didn't have a menu, or we didn't have bagels.
It's rare that we get complaints about the first b. It's always the second.
.

Going back to Hillbilly's post/comment that the life of an innkeeper was around 6 years before we become burnt out with the business and wanted to move on to something else, run away from the business and the guests.
Guess what I'm trying to ask, is it possible to change the way we do things so that we as innkeepers don't get tired and burnt out running the business and still manage financially. Are we trying so hard to be the best that we grow to hate the business? Would a change to breakfast or some other area improve the innkeepers personal life without killing the business on a financial level?
So many on the forum seem to be counting the days until they can retire and do something else, count me as the odd one, I wanted to retire to be an innkeeper. I probably do everything wrong, but after 25 years we still have fun, for us this is retirement.
.

Going back to Hillbilly's post/comment that the life of an innkeeper was around 6 years before we become burnt out with the business and wanted to move on to something else, run away from the business and the guests.
Guess what I'm trying to ask, is it possible to change the way we do things so that we as innkeepers don't get tired and burnt out running the business and still manage financially. Are we trying so hard to be the best that we grow to hate the business? Would a change to breakfast or some other area improve the innkeepers personal life without killing the business on a financial level?
So many on the forum seem to be counting the days until they can retire and do something else, count me as the odd one, I wanted to retire to be an innkeeper. I probably do everything wrong, but after 25 years we still have fun, for us this is retirement.

That's my plan too. Retire to be an innkeeper. As it is, both DH and I have no days off all summer, but we have lots of days off in the winter. We schedule vacation time, when the inn is closed and we stay away from household chores during those vacations.
We do feel overextended when the fall comes and there is no let up on guests. We know we have to manage our time off ourselves.
I hope we always love the job, but I sure do get why people get tired of it. (On the other hand, I work in an office and I get tired of that job too. My friend is a SAHM and she gets tired of that!)

 

[Silverspoon]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

We had planned for 10 but could only do 7 so kudos to all of you who have hung in there so long. You deserve a big pat on the back.
.

We started in 1990 so this will be 28 years for us. Like most here we had a good size mortgage to begin with and we both worked outside jobs in addition to running the B+B. Now, we are "retired" and slowing down as we age.
The key to our longevity has been staying small, being really busy (98% occupancy) for 5 months and then winding down for the rest of the year, only hiring out those jobs that we absolutely can not do ourselves, division of labor between DH and myself so we each do what we are best at doing most of the time. We don't aim for the same bottom line these days and we make sure we schedule private time with no guest...even during the busy season.
Some here would say we are stuck in the past.

But here we are, going for another year as innkeepers on OUR terms, planning to go the distance in place, making enough money to feel secure. No OTAs, on-line booking or credit cards for us. Just happy innkeepers, warmly welcoming guests and still in the game!

 

[gillumhouse]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?
.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?

I think you may miss out on one of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis - the breakfast part. That adds another 4 hours to the workday, everyday. We can't be off doing something else behind the scenes while guests eat.
There is also the stress of the constant whinges of people who have to have exactly what they eat everyday. The fads. The allergies.
You've got the rest of it. But I'd hazard a guess, if you asked retiring innkeepers what's the one thing they are not going to miss, it's going to be making breakfast for whiny ingrates.
.

Perhaps we are plain and simple enough that we get everyday folks, most aren't whiny and that helps. In most areas I try to cultivate guests that like what I like as it makes it easier to please them. What would a simple breakfast do to business? I'm not educated on the breakfast side, my one bed and breakfast visit served family style at a common table, nice variety of food and plenty to eat, but no special orders that I was aware of, counting us 29 guests at the table.
.

Our first couple of years we weren't getting 'folks like us'. We get more of them now, tho. But, there are still those times when we get guests who just stayed at a posh b&b and assume we're all the same so they don't like their stay, or that we didn't have a menu, or we didn't have bagels.
It's rare that we get complaints about the first b. It's always the second.
.

Going back to Hillbilly's post/comment that the life of an innkeeper was around 6 years before we become burnt out with the business and wanted to move on to something else, run away from the business and the guests.
Guess what I'm trying to ask, is it possible to change the way we do things so that we as innkeepers don't get tired and burnt out running the business and still manage financially. Are we trying so hard to be the best that we grow to hate the business? Would a change to breakfast or some other area improve the innkeepers personal life without killing the business on a financial level?
So many on the forum seem to be counting the days until they can retire and do something else, count me as the odd one, I wanted to retire to be an innkeeper. I probably do everything wrong, but after 25 years we still have fun, for us this is retirement.
.

I am in my 21st year. I do still love what I do - my knees do not. If I did not have stairs...... I enjoy the guests, making breakfast, but admit it is possibly because I do not have 100% occupancy except for rare occasions. I still look at this as a business, not a lifestyle because the business, except for rare times, rules. We DO depend on it for income.
I have made adjustments - we no longer do dinners. Knees and the dishwasher said thank you. We both enjoy this, would miss it if we closed, and will do this until he (or I) die or I become la-la.

 

[Morticia]

I read somewhere not to long ago that the life expectancy of an Innkeeper is less than 6 years. Then they put the For Sale sign up! I can't remember where I read that. I do believer it. A lot of Innkeeper have come and gone in our town. It's not an easy job and not for the weak!.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?
.

Okay I'm odd, still enjoy (most times) after 25 years.
Perhaps others are more financially successful than I, but if the inn runs the owner and the owner is not enjoying the business on a personal level are there changes that could be made, a compromise between wealth and happiness?

I think you may miss out on one of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis - the breakfast part. That adds another 4 hours to the workday, everyday. We can't be off doing something else behind the scenes while guests eat.
There is also the stress of the constant whinges of people who have to have exactly what they eat everyday. The fads. The allergies.
You've got the rest of it. But I'd hazard a guess, if you asked retiring innkeepers what's the one thing they are not going to miss, it's going to be making breakfast for whiny ingrates.
.

Perhaps we are plain and simple enough that we get everyday folks, most aren't whiny and that helps. In most areas I try to cultivate guests that like what I like as it makes it easier to please them. What would a simple breakfast do to business? I'm not educated on the breakfast side, my one bed and breakfast visit served family style at a common table, nice variety of food and plenty to eat, but no special orders that I was aware of, counting us 29 guests at the table.
.

Our first couple of years we weren't getting 'folks like us'. We get more of them now, tho. But, there are still those times when we get guests who just stayed at a posh b&b and assume we're all the same so they don't like their stay, or that we didn't have a menu, or we didn't have bagels.
It's rare that we get complaints about the first b. It's always the second.
.

Going back to Hillbilly's post/comment that the life of an innkeeper was around 6 years before we become burnt out with the business and wanted to move on to something else, run away from the business and the guests.
Guess what I'm trying to ask, is it possible to change the way we do things so that we as innkeepers don't get tired and burnt out running the business and still manage financially. Are we trying so hard to be the best that we grow to hate the business? Would a change to breakfast or some other area improve the innkeepers personal life without killing the business on a financial level?
So many on the forum seem to be counting the days until they can retire and do something else, count me as the odd one, I wanted to retire to be an innkeeper. I probably do everything wrong, but after 25 years we still have fun, for us this is retirement.
.

Yes, there must be a happy medium in re breakfast. Something that works more often than it doesn't. Still don't know what that is! For us, at this point, it might just be not running 100% occupancy and closing off one room.
Then again, we are in the process of winding down and prepping to sell because we just don't want to do this into retirement.
Gomez is burning out with all the breakfast crap. And he does the cooking, he's not listening to the whining!